Posted by Iain Hobbs on 11/24/99 from 194.82.168.3:
In Reply to: Will the real Nancy Blackett please stand up. posted by Jock on November 22, 1999 at 16:07:26:
The only info on the girls comes from local information and is by its very nature difficult to check. The dates of the girls visits cannot be established by specific dates. The reason being that at the time two girls playing in their grandfathers sailing dinghy would not be worthy of record. Also Their father died (I believe in the 1950's, I do not have my research notes to hand to check) and the family home then at Combermere Abbey was used for a short time for a school by the county council. Although as the girls ages are known i.e. Ruth born 1909 and Catherine 1913. The House passed into the ownership of cousins of the original family and they told me outright that they have no personal knowledge of the girls. Countess Crossley who did have contact with them was seriously ill and hospitalised. She was quite infirm. Most of the papers relating to Sir Kenneth (Captain Flint) and his father are scattered in local libraries around Lanacashire and Cumbria. I put out a newspaper appeal for any info on them last year but only received details on the Grandfather Sir William Crossley. The Crossleys are a very private family. The background that I have given is as accurate as can be established on the information available. There is no guesswork in any of it and as far as can be, it has been verified by other people and authorities.
The dates of when the two girls would have been at School coincides with their father owning "Esperance" i.e. 1922 - 1928 so they would have been around when the Altounyans learned to sail in 1924 and 1928. There is still a lot fo work to do on linkage but there does seem to be something there although as yet I don't know what.
As to your question about an E-Mail address for Me. I am at present at College and E-Mail is blocked out for both Students and Teaching Staff. Only senior College Management have access to E-Mail. Sorry! I can be reached by Snailmail though. I do not have an address or proper name for you or I would have continued this exchange by mail with you in much greater detail. I can be reached at 16 Gladstone Road, Broadstairs, Kent, CT10 2HZ. Looking forward to hearing from you.
It says steps will be taken to remove inappropriate items from Tarboard. I assume that means they wait until you have climbed to the top of the steps, then they snatch them out from under you!!